Regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and tyrosine transaminase in hepatoma cell cultures. 3. Comparative studies in H35, HTC, MH1C1 and RLC cells

The ability of N(6), O(2)'-dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DBcAMP) to regulate a number of metabolic events in four lines of cultured rat hepatomas has been examined. Although dexamethasone induces tyrosine transaminase in all four lines, DBcAMP induces this enzyme normally only in H35 cells. A slight increase in transaminase activity was seen with MH(1)C(1) cells and HTC cells, but no effect was detectable in RLC cells. In contrast, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity is increased by both agents in H35 and MH(1)C(1) cells, but neither had any effect in HTC or RLC cells. DBcAMP caused a rapid inhibition of the growth rate and DNA synthesis and an increase in protein content in both H35 and MH(1)C(1) cells but not in HTC or RLC cells. The effect of DBcAMP on DNA synthesis in MH(1)C(1) cells could be reversed by deoxycytidine as is also the case with H35 cells. The resistance of HTC and RLC cells to DBcAMP was not due to reduced uptake or deacylation as judged by studies with [(3)H]DBcAMP. The cyclic nucleotide appears to enter the cells by passive diffusion as the intracellular concentration approaches that in the medium within 30-60 min. Possible explanations for the differential responses observed are discussed.

5-Bromodeoxyuridine-tolerant melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo

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Synthesis and aminoacylation of 3'-amino-3'-deoxy transfer RNA and its activity in ribosomal protein synthesis

3'-amino-3'-deoxy adenosine was enzymatically converted into 3'-amino-3'-deoxy ATP. This ATP analogue was incorporated into the 3'-terminal adenosine position of Escherichia coli tRNA. The modified tRNA was aminoacylated with phenylalanine by use of E. coli phenylalanyl tRNA synthetase. The phenylalanine was attached to the 3'-amino group of the tRNA, as shown by its high resistance to base-catalyzed hydrolysis in contrast with the normal lability of phenylalanyl-tRNA. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases charge the 3'-amino-3'-deoxy tRNA with kinetics that are similar to those of the charging reaction in which normal tRNA is the substrate. When phenylalanyl-3'-amino-3'-deoxy tRNA is used in a protein-synthesizing system directed by poly(U) in vitro, this molecule is capable of receiving an acetyl-phenylalanine from the donor site of the ribosome. However, the ribosome is unable to cleave the amide bond connecting phenylalanine to the tRNA molecule; hence, the phenylalanyl-3'-amino-3'-deoxy tRNA has acceptor but not donor activity in protein synthesis. Failure of the ribosome to cleave the amide bond may be due to its greater stability relative to the normal ester bond. However, it may also be due to the fact that the isomerization of the peptidyl chain between the 2' and 3' positions of adenosine is prevented due to the amide bond at the 3' position, and cleavage may normally occur with the peptidyl chain on the 2' position of adenosine.

Deoxyribonucleic acid repair in a highly radiation-resistant strain of Salmonella typhimurium

Deoxyribonucleic acid repair was studied in gamma-irradiated wild-type Salmonella typhimurium and in a radiation-resistant derivative 20 times more resistant than wild type. After exposure to 20 or 50 krad, the wild-type strain (DB21) degraded 30 to 50% of its prelabeled DNA into acid-soluble fragments, whereas the radioresistant strain degraded less than 15% after 4 h of incubation. Post-irradiation synthesis of DNA in the wild-type strain DB21 was reduced after a dose of 20 krad and totally inhibited after exposure to 200 krad. With radiation-resistant strain, D21R6008, on the other hand, DNA synthesis was delayed after a dose of 200 krad but not inhibited. Doses of 20 and 200 krad produced a similar number of single-strand breaks in the DNA of both strains as determined by zone sedimentation analysis in alkaline sucrose gradients. The radiation-resistant strain D21R6008, on the other hand, DNA synthesis was strand breaks in its DNA and repairs these damages more rapidly than wild-type Salmonella.

Selective inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis by 2-deoxyadenosine in the blue-green bacterium Agmenellum quadruplicatum

Concentrations of deoxyadenosine which have little effect on net ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis or on increase in cell mass selectively inhibit deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in Agmenellum quadruplicatum. Exogenously supplied deoxyadenosine, at concentrations above 10 mug/ml, stimulates DNA degradation. These results are correlated with a rapid loss in viability. Over a narrow concentration range (6-15 mug/ml), deoxyadenosine impairs the division process and induces the formation of elongated cells. Low exogenous concentrations of deoxyadenosine are readily incorporated into both DNA and RNA, with the major portion as DNA.

Developmental changes of erythropoiesis in cultured chick blastoderms

The erythropoietic area of very early chick embryos was cultured as a tissue for up to nine days to study the changes in red cell type and hemoglobin type, the cell cycle time, the cell population kinetics, and the DNA synthetase activity of these cells. It was found that the area vasculosa without the participation of the embryo proper contained the information and the timing mechanism required to produce not only the early primitive erythroid cell population, but also in due course, the later definitive cell type, each with its appropriate hemoglobin types. Also the precursors of the definitive cell type are active in DNA synthesis and therefore are probably in cycle very early in the culture period.